Attoenet



(No Model.)

P. MENGES.

PIANO ACTION.

Patented May 12, 1885;

Li m l mum WITNESSES:

V INVENTOR 6%WE? f Mm ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Phcloiithognpher. Washmginn. D, c.

PATENT OEEIcE.

PHILIPP MENGES, OF NEWV YORK, N, Y.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPEGIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,660, dated May 12,1885.

Application filed July 11, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP]? MENGEs, of i the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Piano-Action, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improvement in piano-actions, by which the jack will be always placed in the proper position under the hammenbuttwhen thekey isdepressed,even though the key were not entirely released during the preceding tone. To this effect I make thejack jointed and provide it with a bevel, which bears against a bevel on the regulating-rail or its equivalent, all as will be hereinafter more fully set out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side View of my improved pianoaction, showing it for application to a square piano, the key being depressed. Fig. II is a vertical longitudinal section through the same with the key raised. Fig. III is a detail side view of the upper arm of the jointed jack, and Fig. IV a detail side view of a modification of the hammer and butt which is used in upright pianos.

The letter a represents the key of a piano.

1) is the bottom' piece, to which the jack is pivoted. This jack, which will be hereinafter more fully described,is composed of two arms, 0 d, pivoted together. The lower arm,c,is connected with the customary j ack-spring,c.

f is the regulating-rail, also hereinafter more fully described, and g isthe regulating-screw passing through the rail.

his the hammer-butt, pivoted to the fixed hammer-flange t, and also pivotally connected to the arm d of the jack.

j is the hammer, 7c the back-check, and Z the hammer-rail, all as customary.

The lower arm, a, of the jack has the customary projection, c, at its bottom, which strikes the screw'g'when'the key is depressed, and thereby throws the upper part of the arm backward-to wit, toward the hammer. Near the upper part the arm 0 is provided with an inclined plane or bevel, 0", and the hammer-railf, or an equivalent stop, is provided opposite thereto with a corresponding cush ioned bevel, f. I prefer to employ, in place of one long regulating-rail extending from right to left of the piano, short stops-one for each jack.

The upper arm, d. of the jack is provided with upwardly and downwardly extending lugs, Fig. III, so as to straddle both the arm a and also thehammer-butt h, to each of which it is pivoted by a pin passing through thelugs. At the middle the arm (1 is solid, and opposite this solid portion the arm 0 has an upward cushioned extension, 0', as shown.

The hammer-butt l1,to receive the pivot-pin of arm (I, has a slot, m,als0 cushioned. In this slot the pin has a slight play, which allows the hammer to fly up, even after the pin ceases to press the butt up.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the key a is depressed, the arms 0 (l of the jack are in a straight line vertically, and transmit the motion in proper manner to the hammer-butt, causing the hammer to strike the string. As soon as the projection c strikes the screw 1 the arm 0 will be thrown backward-to wit, toward the hammer-carrying the lower end of the arm at with it,so that both arms form an obtuse anglebetween them. The beveled face 0 will be brought to rest upon the beveled face f, and in this position,whioh is shown in Fig. I, the parts will remain until the release of the key a. On the partial or entire release of the key the beveled face 0" will glide along the beveled face f, and thereby the arm 0 (aided by spring 0) will be thrown forward, carrying lower portion of arm (1 with it, until the arms 0 d are again in a straight line. During this motion the extension 0will have pressed against the body of arm (I and thereby aided in throwing said arm forward with arm 0. Thus the jack being straightened is in proper position under the butt for a new depression of the key.

I prefer to make the stop or rail f adj ustable toward or away from the jack, so that the amount of throw given by the bevelf to the jack may be regulated. To this effect I slot the hammer-rail I, Fig. II, and through this slot insert the screw it, which fastens rail or stop f to the hammer'rail Z. By loosening said screw the rail f may be moved backward or forward to the proper amount,whereupon the screwpzis again tightened. At the back the rail f is grooved longitudinally, to receive a guidepin, a, which prevents the rail f from turning on screw 02.

In Fig. IV I have shown the hammer and 5 hammer-butt adapted for an upright piano. The parts are all of the customary construction, and the hammer-butt is connected to the jointed jack in the same manner as has been hereinbefore described in relation to square lO pianos. In order,however, to prevent the pin of the upper arm, (I, from slipping out of the slot m,and also for drawing back the hammer, the mouth of said slot is closed by a hook, 0, as shown. with this construction I may dispense with the bridle-wire and bridle usually employed.

My action may be used in grand, square,and upright pianos.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, in a piano-action, of jointed jack having a beveled edge with astop having a beveled edge, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The eombination,in apiano-action,of arm 0, having projection a, beveled edge 0, and

extension 0, with the stop fihaving cushioned beveled edge f ,and with arm (I, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a piano-action, of jointed jack 0 d with beveled stop f, which is adjustable toward or away from the jack, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in a piano-action, of jointed jack 0 d with hammer'butt h and hook 0, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the following elements: key a, bottom piecc, b, jointed jackc (1, spring 0, stop f, screw 9, hammer-butt h, hammer-flange 2', hammerj, back-check 7c, and hammer-rail Z, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, in a pianoaction, of a hammer-butt, h, with ajack composed of the jointed arms 0 d, thelower arm, 0, having the upwardly-projecting extension 0', which is adapted to bear against the body of the upper arm,d, at the release of the key, substantially as specified.

PHILIPP MENGES.

W'itnesses:

F. V. BRIESEN, R. H. ROY. 

